Process for carroting fur



FIP83G9 ELM UNITED STATES 5 eierenc PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR CARROTING FUR Warren 0. Mercier, Danbury, Conn., assignor to American Hatters & Furriers 00., Inc., Danbury, Conn., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Original application March 28,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of treating fur and like fibers to give them felting properties, and to a composition of matter adapted to impart such properties to the fibers.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a composition and process adapted for the manufacture of strongly adhering felt. Another object 'of the invention is to provide a composition and process which gives fur tight felting qualities. Another object of the invention is to provide a composition and process adapted for the production of a fast-shrinking fur. Another object of the invention is to provide a composition and process adapted to produce a quick starting fur. Another object of the invention is to provide a composition and process that will not discolor the furfibers.

Another object of the invention is to provide fur or like fibers which may be immediately felted after treatment according to the invention. Another object of the invention is to provide fur or like fibers which do not deteriorate materially over a long period of time. Another object of the invention is to so treat fibers adapted to the production of felt that a lowgrade of fibers may be used, either as filler or otherwise. Another object of the invention is to achieve a thorough oxidation of a constituent substance of the fibers. Other objects will be in part'obvious or in part p'ointedout hereinafter. 1 a

The invention accordingly consists in the features of composition, combinations of elements, and in the several steps and relation and order of each of said steps to one or more of the others thereof, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

As conducive to a clear understanding of the several features, it may be noted that the subject matter of this invention deals primarily with a composition of matter adapted to affect or modify fur or similar fibrous animal products in order that felt may be'manufactured therefrom into such articles as hats, and also with the art of treating such fibers to give them felting qualities. A process that imparts felting qualities to fibers is known in the art as carroting. The felting of such fibers involves the shrinking of the body which they collectively compose and a thickening of the fibers in the sense that the finished, felted product contains a greater number of them to the square inch and the body which they compose is usually actually thicker in measurement at the completion of the felting operation than it was when initially formed. Considering,

1931, Serial No. 526,131. Divided and this application April 14, 1934, Serial No. 720,565

by way of example, the manufacture of a hat, the treated fibers are deposited loosely upon a cone, and, after being wet, are removed from the cone and are found to cling together and form a definite object which has certain dimensions. As a result of the felting of these fibers, by the operations known as starting and sizing, the length and breadth of the hat body are greatly reduced, while the material as a whole gains in thickness and strength. Considering the individual fibers, this felting operation involves a relative movement among them whereby, being initially spread out quite thinly, they are finally, at the completion of the operation, densely and tightly compacted together and intertwined, giving the resultant hat adequate strength to withstand ordinary usage.

The exact nature of the change wrought in a fur fiber by any particular carroting operation, whereby, under the manipulation given to a body during the felting operation it acts to'produce, collectively with other fibers, the transformation of the product above indicated, is in dispute, various authorities holding different theories which are not entirely in harmony with each other. Although, not being certain which if any of the already advocated theories is correct, I shall not herein enter into any of them in detail, I may use certain terms which have a significance in connection with one or more of such theories, butI wish. it understood that my invention is not limited by any theory, being fully pointed out herein and distinctly claimed so that any one skilled in this art can understand how to practice-the invention and will recognize what is reserved to me by the claims. I

The usual method of applyinga carroting solu tion is tobrush it into the fur while the latter is still on the skin. In other words the fur pelts are treated with the carroting solution by the use of a brush. In carrying out the process of this invention, I preferably apply the solution of theinvention in this manner. The fur is then dried and thereafter may be removed from the skin and immediately made into felt.

I have found that a good carroting action can be achieved by oxidizing the fur provided the oxidizing agent used is very powerful. This ap- 3E2 mil scorn The present application deals with the use of an oxidizing agent irrespective of other action, and as an example of an oxidizing agent which has no other action I'mention hydrogen peroxide.

Until comparatively recently, hydrogen peroxide was commercially obtainable only in comparatively weak solutions, the so-called 3 percent solution'being the standard commercial product. The 3 per cent solution corresponds approximate ly with a solution containing 10 volumes of the oxygen gas to 1 volume of water.. The active qualities of hydrogen peroxide are principally due to the fact that it liberates atomic oxygen, which is oxygen in a much more chemically reactiveform than the molecular oxygen such as is a constituent part of the atmosphere. The higher the concentration of this atomic oxygendn thehydrogen peroxide solution, the more atomic oxygen will be liberated, and I have found that, with respect to fur fibers, increasing the strength to high concentrations results in a different action upon thefur, possibly due tothe breakdown of certain constituent fur substances or molecules, which perhaps, are able to withstand an ordinary oxidizing agent,

such as represented by dydrogen peroxide in the weaker solutions. 7

Recent advances in commercial chemistry have made available 100 volume hydrogen peroxide containing 100 volumes of the oxygen gas to 1 of water, and this substance is known as Albone C. There has also recently'been made available a still more concentrated hydrogen peroxide containing 200 volumes of oxygen gas to 1 of water. I

. mayuse either ofthese substances as the strong 1. Albone C oxidizingagent, and I may dilute either of them with ,Water to obtain the exactdesired concentration for a particular kind of; fur or other fibers, or to obtain particular qua-iities insuch fibers. Those skilled in this art willunderstand that owing to variations between the characteristics of diiferent kinds of fur, and owing to different manufacturing conditions and differences of temperature and humidity, it is desirable tohave different strengths of solutions for different conditions. V As illustrative embodiments of the composition and process of the invention, I give the following preferred examples of solutions 7 Volume strength 50 2. Albone C-V.- 3. Hydrogen peroxide 200 It will beunderstood that other strong oxidizers of equivalent strength might be used and that the addition of substances other than acid hydrolzing agents (claimed in my copending application) or cleansing agents (Parks Patents 1,507,891 and 2) is immaterial so far as this invention is concerned as the Albone C strong peroxide has a carroting action by and of itself. It must be further understood that I herein make no representation that 50, 100 or 200 volume hydrogen peroxide'has all the qualities and effects of hydrogen peroxide in combination with a good acid hydrolyzing agent as claimed in my copendinga'pplication. However I note that no discoloration of the fur is effected by use of the carroting solution of this. application; a tight hat can be formed and for certainkinds of hats, provided the fur can be felted right away, it is preferable to hydrogen peroxide and mercury nitrate-nitric acid carrot because the'resultant fur is lighter in weight, no mercury being deposited. However, if the feel of the hat is important I recommend the carrot of my "copending application, and so also if expense of the carrot is important. I also note that precautions'should be taken to prevent the wet skin from burning, after ,carroting, when pure-peroxide according to the present divisional;applicationt is used. But for certain grades of. fur and forthe manufacture of very light Weight hats particularly for ladies? bonnets, the matter of; weight is an important consideration and V the; present carrot will. be preferred on that account. Fur treated according to'the present invention of; this divisional applicationmay be dyed in the, usual manner, and it is foundthat there is no. undercast to the fur after. dyeing.

From the above it will be readily seen that there is herein provided a composition of matter and an art of preparingfur or, similar material which attains the objects of this invention, including :many distinct practical and useful advantages.

Furthermore, the art of preparing the material is one which may be efficiently carried min a practical commercial manner. 1

As various possible embodiments mightbe made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, without departing from the: scope of the invention, it is tobe understoodlthat' all matter hereinbefore set forthis to be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. The herein described art-of preparing fur or the like for felting which consists" inapplying to the fibers hydrogen peroxide of a volumeistrength between 50 and 200.

2. The herein described art of preparing. fur. or the like for felting which'consistsin applying-to the fibers hydrogen peroxide of" at least 100'volume strength.

WARREN C. MERCIER. 

